Former Australia Captain Ian Chappell Ends 45-Year Commentary Career
Former Australia captain Ian Chappell has decided to bring down curtain on his 45-year-old commentary career
Former Australia captain Ian Chappell has decided to bring down curtain on his 45-year-old commentary career. The 78-year-old Chappell was known for giving his views democratically and he was admired all over the world for his incisive views. Chappell confirmed to Sydney Morning Herald that he was thinking about retiring from commentary for a very long time. "I remember the day when I knew I'd had enough of playing cricket. I looked at the clock and it was five past 11 on a day of play and I thought, 'S**t, if you're clock-watching at that time, I have to go'," said Chappell, as reported by ESPNcricinfo.
"So when it comes to commentary, I've been thinking about it. I had a minor stroke a few years back and I got off lucky. But it just makes everything harder. And I just thought with all the travel and, you know, walking upstairs and things like that, it's all just going to get harder. Then I read what Rabbits [legendary rugby league commentator Ray Warren] said with retirement and it really struck home when I read the bit where he said, 'you're always one sentence closer to making a mistake'," he added.Â
Chappell had decided to do commentary after retiring from international cricket. He had played 75 Tests for Australia, out of which 30 were as captain. Chappell had been a part of decorated Channel Nine broadcast team comprising Richie Benaud, Bill Lawry and Tony Greig.
"Kerry [Packer, the media mogul who owned Channel Nine] wanted to sack me a couple of times. He used to get the s***s about one-day cricket, because that was his baby. And I might have said something about one-day cricket. With Kerry it was just like a storm - you'd let it blow over till the next one came," said Chappell.
"It's up to other people to decide what they think of me and some will think I've been all right. Some will think I've been a pr**k. That doesn't bother me one bit," he added.
Australia Cricket Team